Method of and apparatus for purifying oleoresin



. Sept. 21, 1943. v c, c, 2,329,712

METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR PURIFYING OLEORESIN Filed April 4, 1939 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 fifiaries 02222 58751607? W JW, A

p 2 9 3- c. c. slLucAN 2,329,712

METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR runwyme omonmsm Filed April '4, 1939 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 if gwuwwbcw P 1943- c. c. GILLICAN 2,329,712

METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR PURIFYING OLEORESIN Filed April 4, 1939 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented Sept. 21, 1943 1 T OFFICE arcane Manson or roa romrxnva ohnoassm Charles Cram Gilliean, Hones-ville, Ga, asslgnor a corporation of Delaware Inc, Brunswick, Ga.,

- Application AprllLlSQScrinl No. 266,030

(CI. 2GO'1.8)

18Glaims.

This invention relates to the production of I purified rosin and has 'special'reference to an apparatus and method for purifying oleoresin to remove the rosin and turpentine content.

The crude material derived from the trees is. in summertime, a substantially liquid substance principally consisting of a mixture of as chips, bark, pine needles and other impurities.

This crude oleoresin is gathered mainly by scarifying pine trees and collecting the material ooa-' ing from the trees in Op n cups which thus toprovlde-an apparatus of this character with novel means for separating the chips and other solid debris from the liquefied material, together with means adapted to assist in recovering the oleoresin adhering to and absorbed by the chips and debris.

and resin, known as oleoresin, but also containing a water and a considerable quantity of trash, such exposes the collected material to contamination by-falling and-wind blown impurities. In winter the crude oleoresin becomes very viscous and even solidifies, This solidified material is removed from the scarred surface by scraping and is 'gen-' erally lmown as scrapefl' In this winter-produced material contamination is not only aifected by the adhesion of trash to the viscous oleoresin' f but the act of scraping the material from the trees also scrapes oil. chips of wood and bark and thus adds further impurities to the gathered crude material. v v w It is commonin the art to heat this crude A fifth important object of the invention is to provide such an apparatus with novel means for subjecting separated chips and debris to the direct action of steam jets whereby tlie chips and debris are not only heated but are also agitated and adherent oleoresin is mechanically separated from i said chips and debris.

A sixth important object of the invention is to provide an apparatus forv this purpose with novel means aflording accessto the interior for removal of the exhausted chips and'debrls.

Another important object of the present in-'-.

- ventioil is to provide a method of treating a mass of crude oleoresin containing a minor proportion of chips and.other-solid debrispreliminat'y to the final distillation of the recovered oleoresin, said process broadly comprisingheating the material, either with or without the addition of r turpentine, This not only drives on. much of the volatile content of the crude oleoresin. but melts thelatter so that'it may be strained and the chil s and other debris separated from the-resin. The

melting of the resin must be done at comparatively low temperatures and consequently the melted resin, while liquid, is still .quiteviscous so that considerable loss is experienced by the adhesion of the molten resin to the debris.

crude mass in the presence of a. solvent of theoleoresin-content of the mass, while subjecting the mass and solvent to agitation to disperse and circulate the solvent and bring the latter in contact with the oleoresin-contentrof the crude mass and thereafter recovering the liquefied oleoresso in.- As hereinafter pointed out the crude mass of oleoresin may carry its own solvent, such as turpentine or at least partly carry this solvent. or, in the preferred form of the invention, the

solvent may be separately introduced into the 3s melterto augment the solvent or turpentine nat- One important object of the present invention isto provide an improved apparatus wherein the crude oleoresin may be melted and the valuable chips and debris.

' A second important obiect of the invention is to provide an improved apparatus of this character, wherein the heating of the charge of crude material wfll be effected in such a manner that the oleoresin' will be uniformly liquefied throughout the entire mass. g

. A third important object 'of the invention is to 1 provide, in such an apparatus, a novel arrangementof steam heating elements wherein heating and melting may be eifected without or with the use of live steam as agitating means for the 7 component thereof completely separated from the urally carried by the crude oleoresin. The novel method herein disclosed includes, in the pre- I ferred form' of the invention, the step of maintaining the oleoresin solution at a temperature adapted to keep the oleoresin in solution, whereby the'liquefied oleoresin upon recovery may be easily conveyed to an apparatus adapted subsequently totreat the oleoresin to recover rosin therefrom. -In other words, the crude mass is maintained at a temperature which will inhibit all of the turpentine from being volatilized.--;In

' one form of the invention the agent for afi'ecting agitation and dispersion of the solvent is adapted also to heat the solvent, this agent in the preferred form being steam; However, it is within the province of the present invention to use as the dispersing agen any gaseous oonstit-.

uent which will inhibit oxl atiomas for example,

nitrogen or any of'the'inert gases known in the e. A fourth'important object of the invention is 66 prior art. In the preferred tom oi the invention, the liquefied oleoresin is subjected to upwardly directed steam jets during the heating step, the step of treating the chips and solid debris with a solvent to recover the oleoresin adhering to and impregnating the chips, and dur- I ing the step when the chips are steamed to aflect recovery of the solvent therefrom. During each of these steps, or only in some of the steps, the material being treated may be subjected not only to the action of upwardly directed steam jets, but also to downwardly directed steam jets and preferably downwardly, inwardly and outwardly directed steam jets. This may occur irrespective whether the material being treated is liquefied oleoresin or a mass of chips being subjected to a solvent treatment ortreatment for the recovery of solvent therefrom.

With the above and other objects in view, the invention consists in general of an apparatus including novel arrangements of parts and combinations of elements and of a method including anovel arrangement of steps, all as hereinafter fully described, the apparatus-being illustrated in the accompanying drawings and the invention being particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings like characters of reference indicate like parts in the several views, and:

Figure 1 is a vertical diametric section through thestill portion of the apparatus and showing certain other features in elevation.

I Figure 2 is a section on the line 2-2 of Figure 1, certain of the parts being omitted to avoid confusion.

Figure 3 is a section on the line 3-3 of Figure 1, ce'rtainparts beingbroken away to show those beneath.

Figure 4 is a bottom plan view of the upper sparger coil removed from the still.

Figure 5 is a fragmentarydetail on the line H of Figure l.

Figure 6 isan elevation partly in section of a modified; form of melter. I

Figure '7 is a diagrammatic representation shglwing a battery of melters connected to a s I v I The apparatus as herein disclosed comprises a body or casing Ill of circular crosssection. This body has an inverted frusto-conical side wall i. 'l:..;"provided at its lower edge with an inwardly'fextending flange l2. The top of the body Ibis formed by a segmento-sp'herical sheet l3 connected at its periphery to the top of the wall II by an annular curved portion ll. The top I3 has a central opening I! surrounded by an upstanding wall IB- provided'with a cover l1 which may be opened or removed to admit the crude oleoresin to be treated. Thus the opening I! forms a charging opening which may be closed and opened at will. The bottom of the body In is formed partly by the flange l2 and partly by a segmento-spherical sheet l3 united at its periphery with the inner. edge of the flange I2. This bottom is provided centrally with a short tubular neck is having an outwardly extending flange -20. A plate 2| extendsacross the neck shown) for receiving the oleoresin after treatment. A breaching 21 leads upwardly rromthe top of the body and, by means or a pipe 28 communicates with a condenser 29 so that any part of the volatile content of the oleoresin and other volatile matter, such as turpentine and water introduced during the process, may be drawn ofi and condensed. g

A woven wire or other suitable screen 30 extends across the lower part of the body l0 and is supported at its periphery on the annular flange l2 and bracedintermediately of its end the wall ll so that between the ably made of woven wire stainless steel. A door supports. An inverted Irusto-conical screen wall 3| extends from the top i3 downwardly and rests at its lower edge on the screen 30. The wall 3|, while connected with thewall II has its major diameter less than the major diameter of walls 3| and II there is formed an annular chamber 32 the cross section of which is greater at its upper end 34 than at its lower end 33.

The side wall .II is provided with an opening 36 whereby chips which have been processed may be removed from the melter III. From this opening there projects inwardly a wire screen tunnel 31 having an upper wire screen 39 and side walls 40 as shown in detail in Figure 5, said screen tunnel being preferably about15 inches high and 28 inches wide. Obviously, the size or the tunnel can be changed according to circumstances. The bottomportion of the tunnel is formed by a portion of the screen 30, said screen being preferhas its upper edge hinged as at 42 to the annular neck 38. Intermediate the door and the extension member there is a packing whereby the door, when in'place'is liquid and vapor tight.

The melter III. is provided at any suitable place with a conduit serving to introduce a solvent into the melter, as for example the conduit 35. It is noted that the conduit 35 passes through the screen 3i Located at the inner extremity of the conduit is a baille 35 A'. A solvent, such as turpentine, upon coming in contact with the baille 35-A is immediately droplets and'is dispersed over the entire mass of chips. -The baflling serves to increase the area 01! the solvent contact surface thereby facilitating the action of the solvent on the oleoresin content of the chips. The so dispersed solvent medium trickles downwardly through the mass pipe.

and is secured to the flange 20 by suitable fastening means such as the rivets 22, a gasket 23 @being interposed between the plate and flange to render the joint liquid tight. The plate 2! has by means or an inlet pipe I! and exhaust steam a central opening from which extends a pipe port this coil mm the of chips.

A steam pipe act on the chips which may accumulate adlacent the door II and in the screen tunnel, said steam let also functioning to melt any solidified oleoresin which may be intermingled with the chips. The steam iet also functions to assist in cleaning the chipsduring any oi the steps or the herein disclosed method and particularly during the step of extracting the solvent from the chips.

Extending around the chamber 45 formed with the wall 3i is a helical coil 48 of imperforate This coil lies close to and preferably in contact with the inner face of the wall 3i and for convenience is termed the upper and 'outer heating coil. The coil 48 is supplied at its top with steam from any suitable source (not shown) flows oil? from the lower end of the coil through an exhaust pipe 48. Suitable'hangers 49 suptop l3. The chamber 45 also contains an imperforate heating coil 50 of helical form and of a. diameter substantially 1 that o! the charging opening it. The

coil 50 is broken up into small v 43 allows a live jet of steam to provided with steam through an inlet pipe ll communicating with the upper end of the coil and exhaust steam passes on from the lower end of' thecoil- 56 through an exhaust pipe. 62. Hangers 53 support the coil 66 from the top It.

in spaced relatio former being arran ed so that its coils at and adja'cent-thescreen tunnel "do not obstruct said tunnel as clearly shown in Figure 5. There is provided a sparger coil 64 having jet apertures 68 facing downwardly, inwardly and outwardly; This coil 54 is supported by the lower ends of the hangers l9 and 53 just below the lower end of the coil' 56. The arrangement of the coils l6 and 60 is such. as to provide access for a'rake 1 or similar instrument to remove from the screen 3W and through the tunnel 41, the exhausted chips. r

' Just below the screen floor 36 there is an im- The coils and 6t terminate at their lower ends to the Screen floor a, the" cleaner a solvent for .the oleoresin,- saidsolvent being preferably turpentine, the solvent functioning in a relatively "hot condition due to the 4 fact that it is heated by thesteam present in the steam coils.- As stated between four and live thousand pounds of oleoresin is introduced into perforate spiral steam coil 51 having a steam inlet 56 and a steam outlet 69. A spiral sparger coil to is also arranged lust below the screen floor 30, the convolutions of the coil. 60 being'in staggeredrelation to, the convolutions of the coil'5'l. Jet openings 6| perniit emission of steam in an upward direction from the coil 66 and a steam'pipe 62 provides steam for this coil. The coil 60 is also provided in its :bottom wall with occasional openings. If these openings were not present there would be some tendency for the-melted oleoresin to accumulate in the coil and solidify upon cooling. The bottom openings allow the oleoresin to escape downwardly, while the oleoresin is still in'a liquid state.. A second imperforate spiral steam coil 63 is arranged below the coil 61 and the convolutions. of this coil are successively shaped downwardly so that the coil has a generally inverted frusto-conica'l form. An inlet pipe 64 supplies steam to the coil 63 and the melter' andcleaner Ill and while the melter is being charged, steam is allowed to flow into thesteamcoils46,56, 61and63.

During the period of charge, the sparger coils do not operate. After chargingis completed the door I! is closed. Thereafter, the bottom sparger coils 60 and 66 are brought into opera-' tion and live steam issues from the jets thereof, said-steam in turn agitating the charge and liquefying the liquefiable solid components of the into a liquid state. Usually the time of the melt-" ing operation varies between 10 -and'45 minutes,

turpentine will be distilled oil an outlet pipe 65 serves to permit the escape of v I steam from said coil. A sparger coil is arranged with its convolutions in'staggered relation to the convolutionsof the coil and is of the same general form as the coil 63. inlet pipe 61 supplies steam to the coil 66 and Jet openings 68 afford means for directing steam jets upwardly from the coil 66. It,is to be .ob-

served that the outer convolution of thecoil 61 extends around the device below the lower edge of the screen-wall 3|.

openings in the bottom of the coil 66.

It is obvious that the various steam and ex-. haust pipes are valve controlled but it is not deemed necessary to show the valves in the drawings. Also the steam exhaustpipes are preferably. connected to suitable traps (not shown) for the purpose ofconserving heat.

In carryingout the present invention, the

be stated that anormal charge is about 4,000

pounds of crude oleoresin, this occupying about three-quarters of the melter, the upper line of thecharge being indicated by the line CC. The I characteristicsiof the-charge may vary. Someand liquid material and frequently. the entire Ch rge is liquid,

It is'desired to emphasize at this point that the charge is capable of being treated-bythe pres- The sparger coil 66 is also provided with several openings in .its bottom" well, said openings functioning similarly to the the melting period.

During the melting-operation; the temperature charge. The steam also functions to cause the liquefied component of the charge to melt the solid oleoresin andso bring the solid oleoresin depending upon the character of the oleoresin being treated, that is, whether the ,charge is in a liquid condition, semi-liquid condition or is mostly solid. The amount of foreign matter present in the charge also has of the charge is gradually raised and some of the through the breech.-

lng 2I-and pipe 27A. v

It isdesired to point out that the temperature during the melting operation should preferably.

attain a maximum of 250 F.,' so that not all of the turpentine will be distilled oil from the oleoresin, it being high desirable that the oleoresin component be taken off fromthe melter It at. a

temperature suiilcie'nt to allow it to remain in the liquid stage or a flowable stage for a-sub-R .stantialperiod so that jit can be conveyed to the receiving tanks and from the latter to the distil-' lation apparatus. The temperature of the charge other extraneous solid matter. Thesechips conaccording to the present invention is. recovered crude oleoresin is introduced through the charging opening I5 and the door I! is'closed. Itmay.

is, of course, gradually brought'up to approxi mately 250 F. 7

During the melting operation the valve 25 of the discharge pipe 26- has been closed. When the melting operation is ended the valve 26 isopened and the liquid oleoresin passes through screen and discharge pipe 26, to tanks T and/or T, or directly into the still S, there being v left on the screen floor 30 a mass of :chips and tain as a coating or impregnation oleoresin which as is hereinafter pointed out in' detail.

After discharge of the liquid oleoresin, the valve 25 -is closed and a solvent medium, preferably turpentine, for the treatment of the chips is intimes the charge of the crude oleoresin is entirely solid; sometimes the charge'is'a mixture of solid tom sparger coils 60 and 66 are turned on and the steam assists in bringing the solvent,,' such as turpentine, into contact with the chips to more Y eifectively dissolve the oleoresin present asa a coating or impregnation. a

During the time that theoleoresin is being discharged from themelter. III the steam is allowed to flow through the coils 46, 60, 51 and 63. Howsome influence on ince of the present invention to totally vaporize the solvent and conduct the extraction in.the 1O vapor phase or to conduct the extraction of the oleoresin from the chips in the liquid phase or to have .the solvent medium present in the vapor phase and the liquid phase.

- It is believed broadly new to disperse a solvent v carried out utilizing only the lower sparger coil medium in a melter and have the dispersed solvent either in the liquid or partly liquid and gaseous form contact the chips for the purpose of extracting the oleoresin from the chips. In one form of the invention themedium used to eflect the dispersion of the turpentine is steam and, in

' the preferred form of the invention, super-heated steam under suitable pressure is used, as for example, 100 to 125 pounds per square inch. Al-

though steam is the preferred medium, it" is recognized that other mediums may be used.

While it has hitherto been proposed to treat crude oleoresin in a melter, pass the liquid resin) through a filtering medium and then into a still where the turpentine is vaporized for the purpose of contacting the chips, which have been separated from the crude oleoresin, it is new to place sparger coils, as for example, coils 60' and 66, within the liquid solvent medium said coils being located p i ably .below the chips to be treated and pass steam through the sparger coils, preferably under pressure, said steam blowing both liquid and/or gaseous solvent medium up through the chips to effectively wash and extract the oleoresin from the chips, said action to occurring during the melting step and/or during the step of extracting oleoresin from the chipsafter the liquefied melted oleoresin has been removed from the melter.

Usually the solvent medium, such as turpenresin in the gasoline may be combined with the in Figure 4, should contact with the solvent such as turpentine so that the steam preferably under pressure, together with the .solvent may be shot up into the pile of chips on the screefi and in this way effect the best extraction action.

Utilizing the above method, it is only neces- 'sary to have the solvent medium occupy a level slightly above the sparger coil and in this manner, the extraction is carried out in the preferred form of the invention with a minimum amount of extraction medium. However, in go some cases, the extraction medium may have a higher level and this is especially true when" the chip pile extends well up towards the upper part of the melter In as may well be the case when the chips are allowed to accumulate from successive runs, this being one method of carry- I ing out the present invention. In some cases, the solvent level maybe substantially below the level of the sparger coil 60.

It is desired" to point out, that while. the. 7

amount of solvent medium used for'the extraction of oleoresin from the chips" may greatly vary and still come within the spirit of-the present invention, that when about 20 pounds of chips gallons of turpentine is used for the extraction step.

It is to be noted that the apparatus for carrying out the present invention and the method herein set fortlr utilizes two sparger coils GI] and 66 and preferably an additional sparger coil 54.

In carrying out the extraction step, steam may pass through both coils, preferably under pressure and be allowed to escape through the openings in each of the sparger coils in order' to effectively cause the turpentine or other solvent to function to extract the oleoresin from the chips. However, if there is only a small amount of chips and the liquid level falls below the level of the sparger coil 60, the extraction may be 66. The above illustrates the adaptability of the present apparatus to conditions that may be encountered in actual practice. The time that the solvent medium is in contact with the chips containing the oleoresin will vary according to the character of the solvent and the amount of and character of the chips or debris being treated. As an illustrative example, it may be stated that if 200 pounds of chips is on the screen that the latter may be treated with the solvent medium for a period of about ten minutes.

At the end of the treatment period with the solvent, the valve 25 is opened and the solution carrying the extracted oleoresin passes through the carry-off pipe- 26 to the tanks '1 or T', or directly to the still S. The solution of oleoresin resulting from the extraction step with the solvent medium may be combined with the oleoresin when the solvent medium is turpentine or the extraction product of oleoresin and solvent may be distilled separately to recover the oleoresin therefrom. Of course, if gasoline or solvent naphtha is used as the extraction medium, then the extractedsolution is distilled separately and is not combined with the oleoresin produced tracted with a solvent other than turpentine, as

for example; gasoline, the solution of the oleooleoresin recovered in the first part of the process and then the resulting extraction product iractionally distilled to separately recover turpentine and gasoline leaving in the treatment apparatus a rosin product.

After extraction of the oleoresin from the chips by means of a solvent and the recovery of the oleoresin solution, the valve 25 is closed and the oleoresin-exhausted chips are treated with ,a medium functioningto remove the extraction solvent from the chips.

Preferably this medium is steam, the latter issuing from the upper openings in the sparger coils 50 and 66. Simulta neously therewith, steam is preferably passing through coils 46, 50, 51 and 63.

It is to be noted that a sparger coil 54 is preferably located immediately beneath the heating coil 50, said sparger coil being provided with openings 55 which shoot steam under pressure downwardly, inwardly, and outwardly, into the body of the mass of chips lying on the screen 30. It is to be noted that the sparger coil 54 consists of one single turn of pipe, leaving the central conduit defined by the heating coil 50 open at the bottom so that the chips may pass freely through the melter.

It is desired to point out that the mass of chips lying on the screen usually extends conhave accumulated on the screen '30, about 15. siderably above the level of the sparger coil 54 chipsmay extendupwardly approximately oneone or more conduits may be provided adjacent v the bottom wall is of the melter. n the: turhalf to two-thirds of the height of the melter.

the contour line of the chips being hiahest in the center of the melter and tapering oil to-' but obviously any suitable pressure may he pentine conduits project interiorly of the bot tom-wall of the melter,then upon introduce tionof the turpentine through the conduits,

- wards the side of the melter. the turpentine will contact with the steam orv Due to the fact that the surface of the chips. other i pe i dium issu n irom the I is usually'in'the form of a conical surface or 'sparger coils 6t and it, will function to approximating the same, the pressure exerted nrcieet iv um upw y r m the i on the chips is greatest immediately below the bottom face of the pile of'o'hips.

' center of the conduit formedby the coil II and i It is desired to state that while it is preleastadjacent the lower side walls of the melter I ferred, ncarrying. out the present i ve -1 .1 and-therefore; there is a tendency for the'steam utilize a screen ii; that this screen may be disiss'uing from the openings in the sparger' coils pensed with. 'Thefunction-of the screen ll is 60 and 66 to tunnel its way through theouter to prevent chips from becoming caught in the edge portions of the mass of chips lying onthe pace b ween the steam coil 46 and screen. i .7 the wall It oi the ,melter. Utilizing a coil 46 in After a very considerable amount of research, the term shown in the drawings, there was a it was discovered that a, more equal distrihuenden y f r-th chips to become wedge n the tion of the steam 'uponi the mass of the chips lar space between the steam coil 46 and 7 could be'obtained by providing the sparger coil the hielter wall II- If the screen is dispensed 54, said coil having openings, which project with the wedging may b l m d P 11 5 a stream of super-heated steam under'pressurev the coil 48 inwardly at its bottom portion tooutwardly, downwardly, and preferably inwarddst c n 'st am 1 80 t h space 1y, intothe extremities'of the chip mass and at th bottom portion of the steam coil 46, and efiect a more veven distribution of the steam the wall II is wider than the space at the top.

during the steam step to recover solvent. from portion between the steam coil 46 andthe wall the chips.- V II. This will tend to prevent the wedgihg of the Stated differently, if the sparger coil 54 is not chips in thespace between the outer steam coil provided there is a substantial portion of the a0 4 and the wall ll. As shown inFigureG-the v chips from which the solvent is not recovered. 1- F 18 P d wi an upper portion However, employing the sparger 54, there is a- 4FAVfin a bottom D r i h 7-3. the latter substantial greater recovery vduring the step b61118 t h w ly i an ngle to theupper of steaming solvent from the chip. It is recv Dori-i 11 --A 0 hat her is more space ognized that if the chips were steamed for atween the steam coil and the side wall ll, of therelatively long period of time, that a fair remelter at the bottom than there is at thetop of covery of the solvent from the chips could be 8 1811 1. V 'efiected without utilizing the sparger it, and'in The-present invention has the following an. the broadaspect of the present invention, it. is vantages: v I V not desired to .be limited to the provision of a 40 First, a better grade rosin is produced. Prior sparger coil 54. However, in the preferred form to the presentinvention it was to dig...

- of the invention, itis highly desirable to employ "110180108!!! iii a ire t fired still and the t'einthe sparger 54 since this greatly speeds p h While in a till of this type-is highenough to time of thesteaming step. when treating about char the debris that accumulates on the bottom 4 200 pounds of chips, the steaming action is ef- 01 he s ilL- id charred material causing the fected for approiiimately 10 minutes. of course,-- rosinto go oil! color and becomedesraded. Such hereagain, the timed steaming will .vary with rosin brings a much cheaper price in the amountand character of the chips being theopenmarket. j a i treated and the character of the solvent which Ii the oleoresin is treated in accordance with its desired to recover..' r the present invention the temperature in. a It is desired to point out that instead of inmelter is always insufllcient to char the chips MI!- i. troducing the solvent, asfor example turpen- 0n the screen III. In the prior art tine, and the medium for dispersing the solvent, 86118 he. a rins is due-to, in many cases, what which is preferably steam, separately, that'the is known as localized heating. th t is. there are two may beintroduced into the melter simulta-- 55 allots in the still that are. at materially .n'eously. .'For;.example, turpentinevunder prestemperatures than other parts of the still.: In'

Sure may be introduced into the ,sparger coils with the p e t i e io all par s- I4, 60,, together with steam, and the mixture 0f the ehlp mass hresh tah il ly evciily heated. or .the solvent, as ,for examblaturpentine, and In other words, durlngthe meltingmcgaeiationthe steam allowed to issue from the iet openings of l I s t n ally ev distributed I therespective spargers. 'Ifhis form of the inby virtue of the provision'ot heatinr'eoils and vention isa very eflective method for brinains pa se: 0011s as set iorth; Further.- it may be the extraction medium into "contact-with thepoi ted 9111 hat th ,sp rs'er coils initiatefand chips to be treated or extracted. The steam is maintain a moreor less continuous agitation -dur. preferably under a pressure or 10043) lb the m t s li q rwhiq v nly i r u s theheat. It may be pointed out that whenthe 'iis provided ,-the solvent may be atomized, there-V the melter, the turpentine-conduit may he 10 chargingisiinished the m'elterihchargedtofthay and agitation and circulationareof a). decided advantage in treating such a large mass 109 m 2''. i 3- It is desired to point out that accordance with the'present invention-the time for recover-- ring and turpentine from the crude'oleoresin 'lsgreatly reduced. 'lhidwill-appear iron the used; The steam functionsto dividetheturpentine into little droplets or, if a suitable device by greatly increasing the contact surface available for contact with the chips. l

' Instead of introducing the turpentine through a' conduit 35 located; at. the upperportion of .cated'at othersuitable'plaees a io ampl "ridicules: I .4

, tore the oleoresin is steam intersecting "vent formation Referring to Figure 7 it is noted that in the preferred method of operation two melters M and M are in operative connection with a still 8 preferably through the intermediary of storage tanks'l' and T,

In initiating operations the melters M and M oleoresin and it takes about thirty minutes roughly for the charging and melting or the oleoresin in the melter from the melter M is the oleoresin is melted and recovered from the me1ter M somewhat be recovered from the charge melted in melter M and so the distillation of the strained oleoresin coming from the melter M is under way before-oleoresin, coming from the melter M, is ready to beintroduced into the still S. If the charge in melter M has been substantially completely melted and ready to go into still S, itmay be carried into storage tank T to be held there until the processing of the charge, which has been supplied to the still S from the melter M,iscompleted.

It is desired to point out that the material coming from the melters may be distilled in the still in about forty-five minutes to one hour, this the latter being desirably provided with heater coils.

M. The strained'oleoresin' then introduced directly .into the still S. Usually are charged with crude being hair of the time required to process'oleoresin used in the old method where the crude oleoresin was introduced directly into the still without the-pretreatment step. It is desired to point out that the reason that the time for the complete processing of the crude duced is that in the melters, M and M, which run simultaneously with thestill S, a portion or the turpentine has been removed from the crude oleoresin. Further, the strained oleoresin coming from the )melters M and M has a fairly high temperature, especially when it is introduced directly from the melters into the still S and, therefore, it is not necessary to provide as many heat unitsior the charge in the still S as was customa-ry when the crude oleoresin was introduced directly into the still to be processed.

It is, therefore, clear from the above that by the hook-up set forth embodying two melters in combination with a single still that the time oi! treatment or the crude oleoresin may be greatly reduced. economy oi operation'is eflected and labor cost is greatly reduced.

the resulting Further, proceeding as set. forth,

oleoresin is re- I mentioned sparger coil a third sparger coil having 2,329,712 7 its top and a draw-off opening for liquid rosin'at its bottom, a screen floor extending across said vessel intermediate said openings to prevent the passage of said debris through said draw-on! opening, a sparger coil having upwardly directed jets positioned below said screen and a second sparger coil above said screen having a plurality .of jet openings pointed downwardly and at an ansteam inter-.

gle to the vertical to project jets of secting the jets of steam produced by said nrst to thereby prevent formation of. channels by said'flrst mentioned sparger coil in a debris mass held on said screen, a spiral heating coil of generally inverted irusto-conical i'ormbelow said first mentioned sparger coil and upwardly directedjet openings and convolutions staggered with respect to said last mentioned spiral heating coil.

3. The method 01' treating a mass of crude oleoresin containing turpentine and a minor proportion of chips and other solid debris preliminary to the final distillation or the oleoresin to be recovered therefrom, comprising charging said mass or oleoresin into a treatment vessel, heating the same to liqueiy at least in part of the oleoresin content of the mass, thereafter treating the mass'with steam jets to complete the'liquefaction of the oleoresin and agitate the same while maintaining the'oleoresin at a temperature which will inhibit all the turpentine content thereof from being volatilized and keep the oleoresin in a liquid iorm, separating the liquid containing oleoresin from the chips and other solid debris, adding a solvent medium for the oleoresin to the separated chips and debris,

, andagitating and heating the chips and solvent by steam jets below said chips and within the solvent so as to blow the solvent upwardly to thereby ,wash and .,extract adhering oleoresin from the chip mass.

4. The method of treating a mass of crude oleoresin containing turpentine and a minor prov portion of chips and other solid debris prelimi Proceeding in'accordance with the present invention, there is a substantially complete recovery or the rosin present in the crude oleoresin.

what is claimed is:

1. In an apparatus 101- purifying crude oleoresin containing chips or other solid debris, a treatment vesseLhaving a charging opening at its top and a draw-oi! opening sel intermediate said openings to prevent the nary to the final distillation of the oleoresin to be recovered therefrom, comprising charging said mass of oleoresin into a treatment vessel, heating the same to liquefy the oleoresin content of the mass, thereafter treating the mass with steam jets to complete the liquefaction of the oleoresin and agitate the same while maintaining the oleoresin at a temperature which will inhibit all the turpen tine content thereof from being volatilized and 7 keep the oleoresin in a liquid form, separating the liquid containing oleoresin from the chips and rorvliquid rosin at its bottom, a screen floor extending across said yespassage of said debris through said draw-om other solid debris, adding a solvent medium for the oleoresin to the separated chips and other debris, agitating and heating the chips and solvent by steam jets below said chip mass and within the solvent so as to blow the solvent upwardly to thereby wash and extract adhering oleoresin from the chip mass separating the lowvalue solution of oleoresin from the chips and debris, subjecting the latter to the action of steam jets to extract the solvent from the chip mass,

said jets tending to e'xerta tunneling action against the extremities of the chip mass, and simultaneously'directing other steam jets on and into mass to neutralize said tunneling action.

5. The method of treating a mass of crude oleoresin containing a minor proportion of turpurifying crudeoleoresin containing chips' or other solid debris,

pentineTand a minor proportion'of chips and other solid debris preliminary to the anal distil-. I lationoi' the oleoresin to be recovered therefrom, at comprlsing chargingisald mass or oleoresin into a treatment vessel, heating thesame to liquefy -the oleoresincontent of the mass, adding tur-v pentine to said massin quantities suilicient to assist in -the liquefaction thereof, thereafter treating the mass-with steamaiets to complete the liquefaction of the oleoresin and agitate the same while maintaining the oleoresin at a temperature which will inhibit all the turpentine content thereobfrom being volatilized and keep the oleoresin in a liquid form, separating the liquid con taining oleoresin from the chips and other solid 1 debris, adding turpentine to the chips and other solid 1debris', agitating and heating the chipsand turpentine by steam jets positioned below said chip mass and within thesolvent so as to blow the'turpentine upwardly to thereby wash and' extract adhering oleore'sin from thechip mass, separating said oleoresin extract from the vent the passage of" said debris through sai draw-off opening, ,heating members below said screen, heating means above the screen arranged 3" present in the interstices of the chips while subto produce'an obstructed passage between the charging opening and said screen, a sparger coil provided with downwardly and outwardly di- -rected jet openings below said last mentioned heating means and spaced from said screen, and

a second sparger cell having upwardly directed 35 jet openings positioned below said screen, said ,sparger coil projecting a heating medium through said debris to effectivelyextract the oleoresincontent or said chips.

- 7. The'methgd of treating a mass of crude v oleoresin containingturpentine and a minor pro-- portion of chips and other. solid debris prelimunto the finaldistillation of the oleoresin to berecovered therefrom, comprising charging said 7 mass of oleoresin into a treatment vessel, heat- 7 ing the latter to liquefy at least in part the oleoresin content of the mass while inhibiting any substantial charring of the chips therein, main- ,.;t aining theoleoresin at. a temperature which n will inhibit all of the turpentine content thereof; 1 from being volatilized. and keep the oleoresin in liquid form, separating th liquefied-oleoresin Irom the mass of chips an debris, repeatedly projecting a heated solvent through'the chips I to wash and extract the oleoresin adhering thereto and present in the interstices thereof while at the same time subjecting the vchips to treatment with a gaseous'heating medium, separating-the extracted oleoresin solution from the chips, and

' recovering rosin from, said solution.

the oleoresin to the separated chips and debris,

forming in said treatment vessel .a reservoir of solvent medium, repeatedly projecting the heated solvent medium through the chips to wash and extract .the oleoresin adhering thereto and pres- ,ent in the interstices of the chips while at the.

- same time subjecting the chips to treatmentwith a gaseous heating medium, separating the extracted oleoresin solution from the chips, and 10 rec'overingthe rosin from said solution;

9. The method of treating a mass of; crude oleoimin containing turpentineand a minor proportion of chipsand' other soliddebris preliminary to the nnaLdistillation of the oleoresin-to be recovered therefrom, comprising charging said I mass of oleoresin intoa treatment vessel, heating the latter to liquefy at least in part the.

oleoresin content of the mass while inhibiting any substantial charring of the chips therein,

0 maintaining the oleoresin at a temperature which will inhibit all or the turpentine content there- -of from being volatilized and keep the oleoresin in liquid form, eparating the liquid containing jecting turpentinethrough the chips to .wash and extract the. oleoresin adhering thereto and iecting the chips to treatment with a gaseous heating medium, separating the extracted oleoresin solution from the chips,v and recovering rosin from said solution.

resin content of the masswhile inhibiting any substantial charring of the chips therein, maintaining the oleoresin at a temperature which will 3 inhibit'all ofthe turpentine content thereof from being volatilized and keep the oleoresin in -liq-' uid form, separating the liquid containing oleo-.

resin from the resulting pile of chips and the other solid debris, adding a solvent medium for .forming in said treatment vessel a reservoircf heated solvent adjacent to at least one face of said pile, projecting amixture of steam and solvent adiacent said pile face to agitate, heat and washthe chip mass extract the oleoresin adhering toand present in the interstices of the.

chips, separating the extracted oleoresin solution Irom-theychipa'and recovering rosin from said solution.

11. The inethod of treating a mass of crude 8. I'he method or treating amass of .crude' dearest! containing turpentine a minor pro- Ioleoresin containing turpentine and a minor proportion'of chips and othersolid debris preliminary to the. final distillation of the oleoresin ito 10. The methodof treating a mass of crude oleoresincontaining turpentine and a minor pro-. portion of chips and-other solid debris preliminary to the iinal distillation of the oleoresin to be recovered therefrom, comprising charging said mass of oleoresin into a treatment vessel, heating the latter to liquefy at least in part the oleothe oleoresin to the separated chips and debris,

portion of chipsand other solid debris preliminary to the flnal di tmatlon of theleo esin Ito berecovered therefrom, comprising charging said be recovered therefrom, comprising charging said mass of oleoresin into a treatment vessel, heatmass of oleoresin into a treatment vessel, heating the latter to liquefyat least in part the.

oleoresin content of the mass while inhibiting in liquid form, separating the liquid containing oleoresin from the resulting pile of chips and the ing the latter to liquefy at least in part the I oleoresin content of the mass while inhibiting anysubstantial charring of the chips therein,-

maintaining the oleoresin at a temperature which will inhibit all of the turpentine content thereofirom being volatilized and keep the oleoresin in liquid fonn,-'aeparating-theiidueiled oleoresin from them of chips and debris repeatedly y projecting a heatedisolvent through the chip other solid debris, adding a solvent mediuznior-n to wash and. extract the oleoresin adheringthereto and present in the interstices thereof while at the same time subjecting the chips to treatment with a gaseous heating medium, separating the extracted oleoresin solution from the chipsfarid steaming the so-treated chip mass to recover the solvent therefrom while preventany substantial charring of the chips therein,

maintaining the oleoresin at a temperature which will inhibit all of the turpentine content thereof from being volatilized and keep the oleoresin in liquid form, separating the liquefied oleoresin from the mass of chips and debris, repeatedly circulating heated turpentine through the chips to wash and extract the oleoresin adhering thereto and presentin the'interstices thereof while at the same time subjecting the chips to treatment with a gaseous heating medium, separating the extracted oleoresin solution from the chips, and recovering rosin from said solution.

13. The method of treating--a mass of crude oleoresin containing turpentine and a minor proportion of chips and other solid debris preliminary to the final distillation of the oleoresin to be recovered therefrom, comprising charging said mass of oleoresin into a treatment vessel, heating the latter to liquefy at least in part the oleoresin content of the mass while inhibiting any substantial charring of the,chips therein, agitating the mass while maintaining the oleoresin at a temperature which will inhibit all of the turpentine content thereof from being volatilized and keep the oleoresin in liquid form, separating the liquefied oleoresin from the massgiof chips and debris, repeatedly projecting heated? turpentine through the chips to wash and extract the oleoresin adhering thereto and presen'tfin the interstices thereof while at the same time subjecting the chips to treatment with aa'seous heating medium, separating the extracg doleor'esin solution from the chips, and recovering rosin from said solution.

' 14. The method of treating a mass of crude oleoresin containing turpentine and aminor proportion of chips and other solid debris preliminary to the final distillation of the oleoresin to be recovered therefrom, comprising charging said mass of oleoresin into a treatment vesel, heating the latter to liquefy at least in part the oleoresin 1 content of the mass while inhibiting any sub-v 'stantial charring of the chips therein, agitating the mass with steam while maintainingathe oleo- 'resin at a temperature which will inhibit all of the turpentine content thereof from being volatilized and keep the oleoresin in liquid form, separating the liquefied oleoresin from the mass of chips and debris, repeatedly projecting a heated solvent through the chips to wash and extract the oleoresin adhering thereto and pres-'- ent in the interstices thereof while the same time subjecting the chips to treatment with a gaseous heating medium, separating the extracted oleoresin solution from the chips, and recovering rosin from said solution.

16. The method of treating a mass of crude oleoresin containing turpentine and a minor pro- I portionof chips and other solid debris'preliminary to the final distillation of the oleoresin to be recovered therefrom, comprising charging said mass of oleoresin into a treatment vessel, heating the latter to liquefy at least in part the oleoresin content of the mass while inhibiting any substantial charring of the chips therein, maintaining the oleoresin at a temperature which; will inhibit all of the turpentine content'thereof from being volatilized and keep the oleoresin in liquid form,

"separating the liquid containing oleoresin from the chips and the other solid debris, adding a solvent medium for the oleoresin to the separated chips and debris, forming in said treatment vessela heated reservoir of solvent medium, circulating a mixture of solvent and steam through said chips to wash and extract the oleoresin adhering thereto and present in' the interstices of the chips, separating the extracted oleoresin solution from the chips, and recovering rosinfrom said solution.

17. The method of treating a mass of crude oleoresin containing a'minor proportion of chips and, other solid debris comprising heating the oleoresin containing turpentine anda minor proportion of chips andother solid debris preliminary to the final distillation of the oleoresin to be recovered therefrom, comprising charging said mass of oleoresin into a treatment vessel, heating the latter to liquefy at least in part the oleoresin content of the mass while inhibiting any substantial charting of the chips therein, agitating the mass with a relatively inert gas while maintaining the oleoresin at a temperature which will inhibit all of the turpentine content thereof from being volatilized and keep the oleoresin in liquid form, separating the liquefied oleoresin from the mass of ,chips and debris, repeatedly projecting a heated solvent-through the chips to wash and extract the oleoresin adhering thereto and present in the interstices thereof while at the same time subjecting the chips to treatment with,a

rosin from-isaid solution;

15. The methodyoi treating "a 'mass of crude therefrom, said meduim tending to exert a tuncrude mass at a temperature sufficiently low to inhibit distillation of solvent from the mass to liquefy the oleoresin-content thereof while sub jecting the mass and solvent to non-oxidizing gaseous jet agitation to disperse and circulate the solvent and bring the latter in contact with the oleoresin, separating the liquefied oleoresin from the mass of chips and debris, adding a solvent medium for the oleoresin to the separated chips and debris, projecting a solvent medium through the chip 'mas sto remove oleoresin adhering to and absorbed by said chip mass'while at the same time subjecting the chip mass to treatment with a gaseous heating medium, separating the lowvalue solution of oleoresin from the chips and debris, subjecting the latter to the action of a primary upwardly directed medium adapted to heat said mass of'chips and extract the solvent neling action adjacent the extremities of the chip mass, and simultaneously subjecting said chip mass to the actionof an outwardly and downwardly' directed secondary medium adapted to.

heat the. chips and exert a neutralizing effect against said tunneling action.

18. The method of treating a mass of crude oleoresin containing a minor proportion of chips and other solid debris comprising heating the crude mass at a temperature sufliciently low to inhibit distillation of solvent from the mass to liquefy the oleoresin-content thereoi while subjecting the mass and solvent to non-oxidizing 5 gaseous jet agitation to' disperse and circulate the solvent and bring the latter in contact with the oleoresin, separating the liquefied oleoresin from the mass of chips and debris, adding a solvent medium for the oleoresin to'the separated 10 chips and debris, projecting a solvent medium through the chip mass to remove oleoresin adhering to and absorbed by said chip mass while mass to neutralize the tunneling effect of saidupwardly directed steam jets.

' CHARLES CRUM GILLICAN. 

